Feds must do more on border commerce

El Paso Times

Updated 7:38 pm, Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Photo: Juan Carlos Llorca, STF

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This Dec. 28, 2013 photo shows a shopper walking toward the Mexican border in El Paso, Texas. Sales tax will increase in Mexico in 2014 and that is expected to boost sales in U.S. border cities. (AP Photo/Juan Carlos Llorca) less

This Dec. 28, 2013 photo shows a shopper walking toward the Mexican border in El Paso, Texas. Sales tax will increase in Mexico in 2014 and that is expected to boost sales in U.S. border cities. (AP Photo/Juan ... more

Photo: Juan Carlos Llorca, STF

Feds must do more on border commerce

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El Paso has begun an important pilot project, using increased local bridge tolls to fund Customs and Border Protection agents to staff lanes at our international crossings.

The $1.5 million, five-year pilot project kicked off Sunday. While it is an important step in lessening wait times at international bridges, it is important that policy-makers at all levels understand this message:

Efficient flow of legitimate international commerce is in the nation's interest, not just El Paso's. Paying for that efficient flow is the responsibility of the federal government, not local taxpayers or bridge crossers.

The pilot project grew out of years of frustration by El Paso officials, who watched bridge traffic back up as lanes went unopened because of lack of CPB staffing.

The pilot was authorized last year by Congress.

David Higgerson, El Paso director of field operations for the CBP, and Mayor Oscar Leeser signed an agreement last Thursday to expand inspection services at the Paso Del Norte and Ysleta bridges during holidays and peak traffic hours.

"The signing of this agreement is very important and is one of the things we have worked really hard on," Leeser said. "This is a huge investment in making sure we cut wait times. Because of this, you will see a huge change in wait times."

U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke was one of the driving forces behind the pilot project, which he correctly points out is not a panacea.

"This a very historic day for El Paso, our region and our future," O'Rourke said. "What the mayor and Customs and Border Protection signed today will not guarantee us that (shorter wait times), but it is a step in the right direction to get predictable, short wait times."

The agreement is aimed at reducing wait times currently at an hour to less than 30 minutes, said Hector Mancha, El Paso port director for CBP.

"The goal is to open as many lanes as possible," Mancha said. "The goal is to get the wait times down to 15 minutes and no more than 30 minutes. We can't go out and guarantee that. But the goal is to keep the wait times low and manageable."

The pilot project is a positive step in addressing the longstanding problem of bridge wait times, which has only grown worse in the post-9/11 world.

The El Paso City Council authorized the increase in vehicle tolls to raise the needed funding, after realizing no significant relief was coming from a federal government that has been largely paralyzed over funding issues.

But make no mistake. El Paso could never raise enough money locally to fix the bridge wait-time issue. Nor should we have to.

International crossings are clearly the responsibility of the federal government. Millions of jobs throughout the United States are tied to trade with Mexico.

Our country's economic future will be brighter if we improve the efficiency of moving legitimate commerce across our borders, while also providing the necessary border security.